


Serendipity in Paris

by Pickl3lily



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dissolution of Malia/Stiles, Eventual Stiles/Malia bromance, Gen, Jackson bashes Scott, Lots of bromances, Mentioned Talia Hale - Freeform, Nemeton, Read the notes in chapter 3, Talia gives Malia the talk, canonical character deaths, multi-chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-09
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-04-03 16:55:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4108168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pickl3lily/pseuds/Pickl3lily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So Isaac and Jackson have both relocated to Europe, when a chance encounter in Paris reunites the two betas, Jackson learns all the recent goings-on in Beacon Hills and demands they return.</p><p>Conon compliant up to the end of season four, I started writing this immediately after, and although it is largely unfinished, I wanted to begin posting it before season 5 starts, as this is my version of it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Some beta that I used to know

He has to be hallucinating… No way could that be Lahey resting casually on the Eifel tower. Nope. No. Jackson squints angrily and takes a deep sniff, which he can hopefully pass off as a drippy nose, and breaths in a familiar scent. “Isaac!” He snaps, not quite raising his voice, testing the theory because he just can’t quite believe that a random visit to Paris with his college could possibly result in the reunion of himself and a former packmate. The guy leaning snaps up suddenly, accidentally pulling on the ends of the scarf he had been playing with; the scarf tightened around his neck and he had a moment of choking and flailing that reminded Jackson of Stiles; it didn’t matter that they had never really been friends, Jackson couldn’t help the almost fond half-smile from forming on his face.

It appears that the strained bonds of the pack were still there even with the new group of supernatural teen he had bonded with living in London, and what’s more; if the way Isaac’s face lights up and he bounds his way over enthusiastically towards Jackson, he feels it too, because they certainly hadn’t been friendly enough, or hell even civil enough, before to warrant such a warm response.

Suddenly his arms are full of Isaac and for a few seconds his mind goes blank and his wolf is revelling in being in physical contact with a member of his pack at last and he noses into Isaac’s neck before he catches himself; they both realise what they’re doing simultaneously and jump apart as if electrocuted. “Lahey. Checking up on me? I know I’m pretty irresistible but gotta say this is the first time someone has travelled across the ocean for me.” Cocky smirk and cool mask slip back into place and just like that, his world makes sense again.

A shadow passes over Isaac’s face and Jackson is almost bowled over with the sudden wash of grief pouring off of his fellow beta; physical contact suddenly seems necessary and so he pulls him under his arm, feux-casual and guides him away from where Jackson’s group of friends are looking on at him displaying unusual displays of affection, uncharacteristic of such a usually cold and stoic individual. He means to quip at Isaac, to carefully probe him for information on the pack back home, feigning disinterest, but then he can smell salt, and when he looks over, Isaac’s eyes are pooling with tears, a few already streaming down his face. His step falter, he turns them to face each other and suddenly, Isaac falls, crumpling to the floor, now full-on sobbing and Jackson panics; he’s seen Isaac take beatings from his dad and still be able to fake a smile, so to see him break down like this is pretty terrifying. Amidst the sobs, Jackson just makes out a few select words, that are enough for him to glean the situation, although he still doesn’t understand why Lahey of all people is having this reaction, but right now he can’t bring himself to care enough to ask. Because Allison is dead.

 **\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**  


Five hours later, and the two betas are curled around each other in Isaac’s hotel room bed, Isaac finally calmed down enough to suddenly realise how good Jackson is at comforting a sobbing mess; as if reading his mind, Jackson’s voice filters its way to him simply stating, “Our time of the month is nothing compared to Lydia’s. I have a lot of practice with tears.” Isaac can’t help the small smile forming on his face, the first real smile since… He allows his thoughts to trail off and distracts himself by thinking about how much easier it would’ve been for pack bonds were Jackson to act this _human_ around them more often.

He should have known that this would all have been just too good to be true; the method of making conversation to distract them from the topic was working well, but it was all ruined when Jackson received the news of Scott being the current alpha of Beacon Hills. The news of Derek giving up his spark had actually gone down quite well, with Jackson understanding that family comes before power and agreeing that Lydia’s banshee status “makes sense; she was always a screamer.” This comment earning him a pillow round the head.

But somehow the news of alpha Scott is just too much and he loses it; “are you freaking kidding me? McCall is the least competent loser to ever loser, and you left him to take care of our territory? You get that any success he’s ever had is either down to sudden-onset supernatural abilities or Stilinski, and if Stilinski’s broken right now, we’ll be lucky if there’s even a Beacon Hills to return to!” Jackson had gotten to his feet at this point and began to shove Isaac’s clothes back into his suitcases whilst the beta looked on with confusion. “Um, Jackson, you know those are my clothes right? Does packing help you deal with stress or… something?” This earned him a glare.

“Wow, you’ve really been hanging around with McCall; you guys got close, right? I can tell because right now I can practically see that floppy-haired dick-brain while I’m talking to you.” This earns Jackson a glare; and a crude hand gesture with a surprising amount of flailing, as if he’s now channelling Stiles… and maybe Jackson had a point; he has obviously adopted some bad habits from prolonged exposure to the guys.

 

 

After Jackson makes it clear that he fully intends to return and ensure that Scott hasn’t completely run Beacon Hills into the ground, it takes quite a bit of convincing before Isaac agrees to return with him, until Jackson enquires as to whether or not Isaac has found a new pack. The conversation is a lot more complicated and drawn out, but it feels like it had only consisted of that moment, that realisation that he didn’t have a pack, he didn’t have a family, and now that Argent had left, he had no one. Until Jackson; there was still an understandable grudge between the betas, but right now, here in this foreign country, without anyone else from back home, Isaac felt like he belonged and had a place for the first time since he had left Beacon Hills.

 

 


	2. Back in Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This actually loosely ties in with my (originally was a) oneshot 'the long goodbye. Completely accidental but pretty cool-ish... If you like that kind of thing...

The plane ride was long and boring; initial shock and reconnection of pack bonds had now worn off, and Jackson resorted to his tactical snarking, causing Isaac to question, yet again, whether or not this was all worth it. He could tell that Jackson was simply rebuilding his walls, that, despite hiding it beneath smirks and insults, that Jackson was just as nervous about returning as he was, but at the end of the day, Beacon Hills was their territory and they had to return to it.

After they landed, Jackson had to ensure that the rental car was the most extravagant and ridiculously pompous vehicle on offer and this provided them with the distraction of quipping at each other about it, taking their minds off of the nerves that they could sense coming off of each other in waves.

 

 

Their arrival back into town seemed almost anticlimactic when they returned to quiet streets and a distinct lack of bloodshed and chaos. Despite Isaac making the power shift abundantly clear, Jackson maintain that Derek was still _his_ alpha, and should be Isaac’s too, and that, as such, he would be the one that they would go first and announce their return. Their arrival at the loft was slightly less anticlimactic, but still nowhere near the kid of fallout that they had both been unconsciously been bracing for since boarding the plane home. When they had gotten out of the car and started towards the building, their heightened hearing caught the distinct sound of a bickering Stiles and Derek coming towards them and soon enough, they had caught sight of the pair emerging from the building and standing far closer and more comfortably than had been usual before either of their departures and they shot themselves confused glances, before noting that both males were holding bags that were too large to be anything other than luggage, and that as they drew to a halt at Derek’s car, (and yes Jackson had found it hilarious that Derek had traded his Camaro for a Toyota), Stiles suddenly flew forwards into Derek, and they watched, half amused, half amazed, as Derek hesitantly wrapped his arms around the younger boy and pulled him into a tighter embrace.

They were so shocked to see the display, that they were practically rooted to the spot, and before they knew it Derek had gotten into his car, and driven away, leaving Stiles standing in the middle of the street roughly dragging his cuffs at his eyes, as though frantically trying to remove any evidence of his tears before they had even began to flow freely. Jackson made a noise that was a mix of being a whine at realising they had just missed Derek and would have to find him again, and partially a condescending scoffing noise for Stilinski’s pathetic display; the strange sound had Stiles suddenly snapping his head upward and balling his fists as he took up a defensive stance, ready to fight.

When he caught sight of the pair, Jackson expected the boy to try to hug them, or hit them, or babble to the point where he was the one at risk of being hit, but to his amazement, the boy’s first reaction was to un-ball his fist and seemingly begin to count his fingers, shooting the betas disbelieving looks, before going back to his counting. He continued this strange task until Isaac stepped slowly forward and said, calmly, “It’s OK, Stiles. We’re real, you’re not dreaming and you are you, alright?” Memories of Isaac telling him about the spirit that had caused Allison’s death swam around Jackson’s head, and, until now he hadn’t fully believed the tale, but seeing Stilinski, trying to act like he was fine, with fear still hidden behind his eyes, erased any doubt he still had.

God, he knew McCall was a dickbrain but, if he hadn’t noticed that Stilinski was most certainly not fully recovered from his ordeal, then he would have to punch the guy out on principal; the thought of failing Danny the way McCall was constantly failing Stilinski, repulsed him and regardless of his own feelings for the dweeb, he still deserved a friend that was there for him and now that the kanima memories were resurfacing, he could remember real life-or-death situations where Stilinski had been alone and he almost wanted to reach out and hug him, but thought best of it.


	3. Hell in a handbasket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO, I guess this may technically contain a referenced relationship between Malia and a real coyote from when she was in the full shift, so I thought I'd mention that, in case that's a big no-no for anyone. Had sever writers block so this is probably pretty bad, and I'd appreciate comments with constructive criticism if you have any. Thanks.

**_ Chapter 3: _ **

 

The reunion went simultaneously better and worse than expected. Jackson had been sure that he would receive a slap from Lydia for when he had left with his family with nothing more than a text to inform her of his departure and the lack of contact since; she had indeed slapped him, twice, hugging him tightly in between. He had already reunited with Stilinski, of course, and after he had finished hyperventilating, the dork had actually hugged Jackson, obviously still emotional, and had filled the betas in on what had been occurring since Isaac had made his escape to Europe.  


It was the reunion with Scott and the meeting of the new members of the pack that Jackson looked back on with anger and burning shame; they had, of course argued, and Jackson had shifted, snarling at Scott when he saw how loved up he was with Kira. He hadn’t exactly wanted McCall to be _totally_ devastated – Isaac and Stiles had told him that they’d both moved on before Allison’s death, but he hadn’t even mentioned her. When he had said her name, Lydia looked up, shocked, and with a sad smile, that Jackson knew meant she was sad about something but needed to talk – and judging by the way McCall had flinched and tried to change the subject, it was easy to tell why she had reacted as such.  


“She obviously couldn’t have meant much to you! You’re already sleeping with the first girl stupid and easy enough to open her legs for you!” The words were practically dripping with venom as they were snarled out from around elongated canines, his eyes flashing a beta blue. The werecoyote, stepped forward and began to defend them, but Jackson was not done. “You don’t get a say! You didn’t know her and you’re not even a mentally competent adult – the last time you were human, you were, what, eight!? You don’t understand anything! And no, alright, I don’t expect you guys to put your lives on hold, but I went to her grave on the way here, and you know what McCall? Your scent wasn’t there. I could smell Lydia and Argent and Stilinski, but you haven’t been there once!” And suddenly he was pinned, red eyes glowing above him as McCall snarled into his face and shame coiled in his stomach as he tried to wrestle with the wolf in him, the instinct to submit with an alpha roaring in his face; but he fought – no way was he submitting to this incompetent ass. An acrid scent of shame and disgust suddenly washed over the room and a heartbeat began to accelerate, breath coming rapidly.

He turned his head, not in submission, but in curiosity, and he saw Stilinski pale and hunched over chanting “Oh God, Oh God! I’m sick, I’m sick!” Over and over. The weight pressing him to the floor was suddenly gone and Jackson could sit up. Could see how everyone was crowding around Stiles, McCall was at his side trying to calm him down and then the werecoyote reached out to touch him, and he flinched away. “Stiles-“, McCall was trying to calm him but Stiles cut right across whatever he was about to say. “No Scott, don’t you see, he’s right! Oh don’t give me that look Scott - I mean about Malia.” He paused and looked a little like he might be sick before turning to the girl looking quizzically at him, and forced himself to continue, directing his words at her now.

“Don’t you see Malia – he _is_ right, the last time you were human, you were just a kid; you still act like a kid, because you essentially are one. But I didn’t think about it, because I was suffering and I needed something to distract me, so I didn’t let myself think about it. Malia… we can’t be together. It – Oh God, it’s sick. What we’ve been doing, it can’t… “ He trailed off, pained and Jackson began to feel queasy, as he understood what Stilinski was saying, as he smelt them on each other, and he realised just why he had been hyperventilating, how guilty he must be feeling about this whole thing.

The girl looked like she was torn between hurt and anger, like she wasn’t sure how a human should react, “I don’t understand. What has my age got to do with anything? The coyote I was mated to in the woods was never concerned with how old I may have been?” Revulsion emanated from everyone present as they understood what she was saying her childhood had been, how wild she had really gone.

The rest of the evening had not been much better, with the next three hours consisting of what seemed to be an endless conversation which felt like they were going in circles as they tried to explain everything to Malia and she claimed that their points were redundant, providing the even more disturbing and shocking revelation that she had borne cubs as a coyote and eventually the tension had built up so much, and she had gotten herself so emotional, that she finally re-achieved the full shift. There was a full minute where nobody moved, not even a newly shifted Malia. Things changed when Melissa had opened the door, returning home from work after a long shift, just to have a coyote run past her out of the door, that she had pressed herself against in shock and fear.

She pulled herself away from the doorframe and after glancing out to see the coyote disappear from sight, she turned back to the assembled group, the surprise evident on her face as she took in who was there. She feigned calm as she gently closed the door and went to stand with Argent, Parrish and the sheriff, before saying, with measured tranquillity, “So, anyone wanna catch me up?”


	4. The birds, the bees and the Nemeton

**_ Chapter 4 _ **

 

They were all understandably surprised when they saw Malia at school the next day, but she just smiled and acted as if none of it had happened; Stiles panicked a little when she plopped herself down next to him but she just laughed him off. “I ended up at the nemeton last night”. She stated blithely, using the shocked state of the table to steal Stiles’ pudding cup. “So Talia Hale, who I guess is my bio-aunt, talked to me. And I really don’t know how but I kind of get it now? I mean, its like I can remember being her, but not her, so I know what its like to be able to understand the human side? I don’t know how to better explain it so stop looking like you want me to.” She aimed the last part at Scott, who looked like he had regressed to the same naiive and clueless puppy he had been before receiving the bite.

She shifted her attention to Stiles now and there was a slight wince of awkwardness as she addressed him. “Stiles… I, I get it now. I’m sorry – not just for not getting it last night when you freaked out, but when we… were together – the first time. In Eichen… I just wanted to feel warm and when I started caring for you, I was still too in touch with the coyote. I thought the only way to care about someone was for them to be your mate or your pup – I know now that we weren’t the right fit for each other. I know what its like to be human now, and Talia, she explained that some humans become closer friends after they break up… I would like it if we could try that?”

The relief on Stiles’ face said it all and soon the pair were talking with each other as if nothing had even happened, and they had never been together in the first place. From where they stood in Derek’s old stalking spot outside, Isaac and Jackson exchanged scheming smiles as they continued to eavesdrop on their old friends and new acquaintances. The phone in Isaac’s hand was still showing the message last sent in the thread.

**_Derek. Back in Beacon Hills. Stiles needs you – come quick._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes this was so short, I know, it was more of an interim fix, and I've decided to only have one more chapter and then I'll update it with oneshots but I've been so busy I haven't exactly had time to update and when I do, they're not really all that great. Sorry guys.


	5. Don't you worry, child.

Chapter 5

Jackson smirked as he exited the school doors after the bell rang as he got a whiff of leather, ash and pine – the smell he had long since learnt to associate with Derek .He stood still while he tried to detect the other wolf, and was so distracted that he didn’t notice Isaac until the other beta threw an arm around his neck, wiping the smirk from his face and causing him to jump and growl at the other boy in shock. “Don’t DO that!” The words were practically hissed through his elongated canines and he allowed his claws to grow in order to take a swipe at Isaac one he started laughing at Jackson’s expense. Isaac dodged lazily and just grinned at him, angling his head to the side and letting out a contented sigh before freezing when he next took a breath.

“Wait – is that…” He snapped his head straight up at Jackson and began beaming back at him “It worked, I knew it! As much as he claims to hate Stiles, he just can’t resist playing the white knight!” His tone was the lightest Jackson had heard since their reunion and those pack bonds began to tug a little, and he couldn’t help but smile in return; when Isaac flung himself forward in a fit of relief and delight to wrap in a hug, he would deny the fact that his smile only got wider, and no matter how hard Isaac tried, he never could get Jackson to admit that his arms came up to enthusiastically return the embrace.

“So, now that I understand humanity better, maybe we could try to watch those superhero movies again – as friends! I think I could actually get into them now.” The betas sprung apart when they heard Malia and Stiles approaching, the coyote and human debating whether or not a change in perspective could teach her appreciation of film classics. The pair stopped short when they spotted the betas but before Stile could voice his question out loud, Malia let out an uncharacteristic squeal of glee before vaulting down the steps and towards the side of the school.  
 

The boys, unsure of what had just happened, quickly followed in case they may be needed, but quickly halted their movements as they took in the sight of Malia with her arms wrapped tightly around her cousin’s middle, babbling away about her night at the Nemeton and meeting his mom’s spirit, while a brunette sporting an amused smirk leant against the Toyota, watching the exchange.  
As Cora noticed them, she moved her gaze to the boys, a small smile slipping over her features before settling back into her smirk. She pushed herself away from the car and strode over to the group, stopping when she was less than an arm-length away from Stiles She folded her arms and allowed a wolfish smile to grace her features as she finally spoke. “Hey spaz. Miss me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I am wrapping this up. I just wanted something to end with and now I can't go on. I had high hopes for my story but I feel like its just gotten worse with every chapter. I'm going to stick with series of oneshots I think. If anyone has a request for a oneshot, I'd be happy to try my hand at it.

**Author's Note:**

> Not going to lie, I'm not amazingly happy with this, but hopefully you guys will enjoy and stick with it, and it will hopefully improve. NOW COMPLETE.


End file.
